If you’re wondering how does the latest Miu Miu girl look like – in a few words, she’s still sexy, with knees-open and exposed nightwear-inspired lingerie, but concomitantly more mature and prepared to colder times – with short fur coats or boleros and crystals-embellished socks.
Undeniably the most talked about item from current Fall-Winter collection – the revitalisation of the conical bullet bra, originally invented in the 1940s, creating the “sweater girl” look associated with figures like Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russel through it’s pointed, structured shape, then popularised by Jean Paul Gaultier through the iconic version designed for Madona – is now bound to become a thing again, under Miuccia Prada’s unmatched tenure.
In Miuccia’s recent envisioning, it acquires and old-fashioned, nostalgic allure, far from vulgar, but still making a statement – girls launching trends, not following them. An assertion of independence and empowerment, as well as an emotional movement, taking evocative inspiration from the past.
“The question is what do we retain of femininity? Does it help in this really dangerous moment? In war time?”
Cloche hats
It would not have been a Miu Miu collection without some mild insertions of bizzarness / apparent incongruities or unmissed references to the past. A conviction of recreating memorable styling solutions, which lies in the intrinsic merit of Lotta Volkova has been underlined through key layering – a sheer grey underlayer peeking from beneath a camel-toned dress with ruched details, evoking an undone, casual sensibility juxtaposed with outerwear that feels sturdy and practical. While the aviator-style shearling-collared jackets add a touch of utilitarianism, evoking wartime or workwear influences – accessories reinforce an eclectic vision—oversized gold earrings inject a sense of opulence – nevertheless, the cloche hat is the star. An unexpected yet strategic reference to 1920s elegance, the cloche marks a defining accessory of the flapper era, introduced by Caroline Reboux and associated with intellectual femininity and rejection of Edwardian headwear excess – that is revived through a sophisticated study in contrasts – by being paired with modern shape glasses. Its incorporation into the following styling leans into an almost grunge-meets-bourgeois aesthetic, which comprises a brilliant move, subtly hinting at historical continuity while reframing it within modern fashion language, that could predict its re-popularization.
Embellished stockings
Intricately beaded socks mark the sequel of the original, gray, thin Miu Miu socks as in the more festive version or attention-grabbing element that attempts to complete an outfit, reanimating an embellishment strategy that has been previously superficially explored. They could be intitled as the chicer leg-warmers that could easily become the next trend in future seasons – shifting the focus from bags overloaded with trinkets and charms – to the lower part, responsible to take the light – not dedicated solely to shoes anymore. A serious candidate in capturing the title of the next mainstream tendency, that welcomes the deliberate creativity and free-will of the wearer.
Layered under&night-wear
A curious and inciting interposition of sensuality and casualness composes the newest formula of layering items made of light fabrics and same neckline shape – creating a revealing, dishevelled proposition, although exquisitely controlled. Despite disclosing a continuation of the already exploited recipe of tailoring attached garments, conveying the illusion of a complicatedly thought stratification – the effect is always different – and consistently appealing. In familiar combinations of thin, knee-length socks and kitten-heel pointed shoes with humble, satin dresses and medium-size handbags – it is impossible not to work. Remarkable is the aristocratic air that the collection exudes, located within a contemporary frame – exclusively depicted in the second look – where sportwear material of the top delightfully embraces the elegance of the silk, stitched bra, the impacting necklace, the wool skirt, embellished socks and brown-fur stole, handled graciously and effortlessly.
Fake fur stoles
Noble, upper-class women, with 50-ish coiffures, reanimated from different times than the current ones – makes the description of these looks , why? – the answer lies within preciousness of the fur stoles that adds to the aristocracy intended to be displayed from the start. Distinct from the mob-wife trend by the sense of vintage glamour, evoked through muted tweed, knitwear and fur that recalls mid-century elegance – the intentional slouchiness of the garments disrupts the rigidity of classic luxury, whilst the stoles maintain the status. A new trend is born through a different, more refined and permissive incorporation of he fur stoles that work as exciting substitutes to the usual winter shawls or wool scarfs. The off-the-shoulder cardigan and visible lingerie as well as the shiny, yellow, peep-toes shoes suggest a deliberate imbalance—luxury undone. This deconstructed bourgeois aesthetic aligns with contemporary fashion’s fascination with subverting conventional codes of elegance. The repurposing of an item, known as a symbol of old-money into something both ironic and refined, subverts the conventional codes and distorts the contradiction between tradition and modern irreverence.
Plaid skirts
Plaid skirts do not constitute certainly an innovation, neither for Miu Miu who has integrated before the tartan skirt in previous Fall 2022 or SS 23 collections, although devoid of the ordinary edginess with a twist, emphasized by the viral low-rise micro skirt or combined with layered belts – this time inclining more towards a business of classiness, situated within the 40s-50s defining patterns, – such as the knee-length, the undeniable brooche and the low-heel, high boots. A plain conservatory approach is not necessarily representative of the brand’s signature impression of a portraying unconventional femininity, therefore a bold and unique color blocking technique, appeared almost inevitable to create a visually pleasing and simultaneously unexpected contrast – that we’ve been used to.
Per general, we have been delivered a different kind of Miu Miu aesthetic – intimacy over spectacle resembling adult women craving simple-to-wear fashion, but which could be undoubtedly integrated in facile and ingenious ways by every age category, as Miuccia has demonstrated before – masterfully managing to attain an intergenerational vibe.
Photo credits: Vogue Runway
